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I'm looking for a free program with two main features: 1) It can be used by a DIY builder without devoting monk-like years of effort, and 2) It can give very basic performance information about different hull designs.

So, all with the software: Design a basic hull, test it, get performance feedback, redesign (tweak something), test again, etc. Potential hull would likely be sheet materials (not very curvy), though I'd want the software to be able to handle both.

I know this can be quite complicated, but want to do my best to head in the other direction.

I'm looking for a free program with two main features: 1) It can be used by a DIY builder without devoting monk-like years of effort, and 2) It can give very basic performance information about different hull designs.

So, all with the software: Design a basic hull, test it, get performance feedback, redesign (tweak something), test again, etc. Potential hull would likely be sheet materials (not very curvy), though I'd want the software to be able to handle both.

I know this can be quite complicated, but want to do my best to head in the other direction.

Tips?

Click to expand...

Sorry. No such animal. Even so called 'Freeship' has a considerbale learning curve.

I'm looking for a free program with two main features: 1) It can be used by a DIY builder without devoting monk-like years of effort, and 2) It can give very basic performance information about different hull designs.

So, all with the software: Design a basic hull, test it, get performance feedback, redesign (tweak something), test again, etc. Potential hull would likely be sheet materials (not very curvy), though I'd want the software to be able to handle both.

I know this can be quite complicated, but want to do my best to head in the other direction.

Tips?

Click to expand...

I looked at a few programs. I am also new to it. For Freeship there is a good online tutorial in 4 parts and a pdf manual for the version 2.6. I found everything quite easy to use. Cheers

The learning curve on Delftship isn't that bad. It certainly doesn't require "devoting monk-like years of effort". More like read the instructions and spend a few days frigging around with it.

Same goes for Blender, incidentally, which I mention just because it's on the poll listing even though it's not a hull design app as such.

Click to expand...

For my purposes, what I like about Delftship is that once I've got a hull in place, the hard work is done and any future iteration simply requires dragging control points, and then reading the outputs ... the interface may seem old-fashioned but its a reliable workhorse.

Same goes for Blender, incidentally, which I mention just because it's on the poll listing even though it's not a hull design app as such.

Click to expand...

I want to like Blender, really I do, but after I put in all the effort to make something in Blender - so often I want to make parts of it parametric, adjustable, and at least the way I've been learning Blender it doesn't naturally do that - you place a bunch of stuff and it's just there, if you don't like it, carve on it like virtual clay.

I asked on another thread: are there any other lunatics using OpenSCAD for hull design? It is VERY parametrically oriented, but also extremely basic in terms of pre-built shape tools provided. Both Blender and OpenSCAD output STL models suitable for 3D printing, which is how I got into them.

I want to like Blender, really I do, but after I put in all the effort to make something in Blender - so often I want to make parts of it parametric, adjustable, and at least the way I've been learning Blender it doesn't naturally do that - you place a bunch of stuff and it's just there, if you don't like it, carve on it like virtual clay.

I asked on another thread: are there any other lunatics using OpenSCAD for hull design? It is VERY parametrically oriented, but also extremely basic in terms of pre-built shape tools provided. Both Blender and OpenSCAD output STL models suitable for 3D printing, which is how I got into them.

Click to expand...

Hi, I have to deny you I have undertaken by some have the design of hulls with Blender, and is totally superior in modeling .. opensacad is simple a mesh modeler not very suitable for the surfaces of smooth and curved hulls. Blender has parametric modifiers with booleans that allows you to have some sort of parametrized operation ..
Below some of my latest work with Blender. This are some reproductions of existing boat or designMedia for user: pafurijaz | Boat Design Net https://www.boatdesign.net/gallery/users/pafurijaz.61230/

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